U.S. patent number 6,302,363 [Application Number 09/404,644] was granted by the patent office on 2001-10-16 for refrigerator magnet.
Invention is credited to David V. Olson, Lois J. Olson.
United States Patent |
6,302,363 |
Olson , et al. |
October 16, 2001 |
Refrigerator magnet
Abstract
A refrigerator magnet for holding thin non-magnetic sheet
material, such as paper, against a flat, smooth, magnetically
attractive metallic surface, such as a refrigerator door. It
comprises a one-piece rigid unitary body having a first bottom
planar magnetic surface and at least one other adjoining bottom
planar magnetic surface. The magnetic surfaces are joined along a
common bend line at an obtuse angle. In use one of the magnetic
surfaces is in contact with the metallic surface, leaving one or
more paper-receiving gaps between the other magnetic surfaces(s)
and the metallic surface. The bend line functions as a fulcrum
whereby the body may be flipped by application of finger pressure
to lift the first magnetic surface from the metallic surface and
cause one of the other magnetic surfaces to clamp the paper and
hold it magnetically against the metallic surface. The magnetic
attraction between the body along the bend line and the magnetic
surface holds the body in place while being flipped from one
position to another.
Inventors: |
Olson; Lois J. (Shoreview,
MN), Olson; David V. (Shoreview, MN) |
Family
ID: |
26820608 |
Appl.
No.: |
09/404,644 |
Filed: |
September 24, 1999 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
248/206.5;
24/303; 248/309.4 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B42F
15/066 (20130101); G09F 7/04 (20130101); Y10T
24/32 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
B42F
15/06 (20060101); B42F 15/00 (20060101); G09F
7/02 (20060101); G09F 7/04 (20060101); A47G
001/17 () |
Field of
Search: |
;248/206.5,309.4,683,205.1 ;24/303 ;40/661.01,600,621,711 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: King; Anita
Assistant Examiner: Morrison; Naschica S.
Parent Case Text
This application claims benefit of provisional No. 60/122,515 filed
Mar. 3, 1999.
Claims
We claim as our invention:
1. A magnet for holding thin non-magnetic sheet material against a
flat smooth magnetically attractive surface, said magnet comprising
a one-piece sheet-like relatively thin rigid unitary body having
first and second non-magnetic body segments joined together along a
common bend line at an obtuse angle, said first and second body
segments having bottom surfaces, said bottom surfaces having
substantially the same surface areas, magnetic sheet material
having planar magnetic surfaces substantially co-extensive in size
with the body segments secured to the bottom surfaces of the body
segments, said magnetic sheet material having a bend line generally
parallel to the bend line of the body segments, said bend line of
the magnetic sheet material functioning as a fulcrum whereby all of
said bottom magnetic surfaces are alternately engageable with a
magnetically attractive surface in direct contact therewith and
through said thin non-magnetic sheet material to be held against
the magnetically attractive surface.
2. A magnet according to claim 1 wherein said obtuse angle is
between about 185 and 200 degrees.
3. A magnet according to claim 1 wherein the top surface of the
unitary body opposite from said bottom magnet surfaces is
relatively flat and smooth, whereby the top surface may be
imprinted with advertising or other indicia.
4. A magnet according to claim 1 wherein said unitary body is
generally rectangular in configuration.
5. A magnet for holding thin non-magnetic sheet material against a
flat smooth magnetically attractive surface, said magnet comprising
a one-piece relatively thin rigid unitary body, said unitary body
includes at least three bottom flat planar magnetic surfaces
alternately engageable with said magnetically attractive surface,
adjacent magnetic surfaces being joined along a common bend line at
an obtuse angle, said bend line functioning as a fulcrum whereby
all of said bottom magnetic surfaces are alternately engageable
with a magnetically attractive surface in direct contact therewith
and through said thin non-magnetic sheet material to be held
against the magnetically attractive surface.
6. A magnet according to claim 5 wherein said obtuse angle is at
least 185 degrees.
7. A magnet according to claim 6 wherein said obtuse angle is
between about 185 and 200 degrees.
8. A magnet for holding thin non-magnetic sheet material against a
flat smooth magnetically attractive surface, said magnet comprising
a one-piece relatively thin rigid unitary body having first and
second non-magnetic body segments joined thereto along a common
bend line at an obtuse angle of about 185 to 200 degrees, magnetic
sheet material secured to the body segments having planar bottom
magnetic surfaces substantially co-extensive in size with the body
segments, said magnetic sheet material having a bend line generally
parallel to the bend line of the body segments, said bend line of
the magnetic sheet material functioning as a fulcrum whereby all of
said bottom magnetic surfaces are alternately engageable with a
magnetically attractive surface in direct contact therewith and
through said thin non-magnetic sheet material to be held against
the magnetically attractive surface, and the top of said unitary
body opposite from said bottom magnetic surfaces is relatively flat
and smooth, whereby the top of said unitary body may be imprinted
with advertising or other indicia.
9. A magnet according to claim 8 wherein said unitary body is
generally rectangular in configuration.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
1. Background of the Invention
This invention is directed to a magnetic device, commonly referred
to as a refrigerator magnet, which is used to hold paper memos,
notices, notes, photos, and similar thin sheet materials against
flat, smooth, usually vertically oriented, metallic surfaces such
as refrigerators, stoves, file cabinets and other storage cabinets,
automotive bodies and the like. The refrigerator magnet body of the
present invention is characterized by its extreme simplicity, its
one-piece unitary construction and its user friendliness due to its
easy loading and easy release features.
When compared to the typical flat refrigerator magnet the magnet of
this invention is more user friendly as it 1) overcomes the
difficulty associated with the user's need to get underneath the
magnet with one's fingernails or fingertips in order to insert or
remove a piece of paper from underneath it and 2) avoids the
situation where the user has to hold the magnet in place while
trying to insert or remove the paper from underneath it. Previous
attempts to create a better refrigerator magnet have been, at best,
relatively complicated and cumbersome.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Irie U.S. Pat. No. 4,830,321 is directed to a multi-part magnetic
holder having a fixed magnet which is attachable on one side to a
surface either magnetically or adhesively. A movable body made of a
magnetically attractive material is loosely attached by a pin to
the opposite side of the magnet. The movable body is divided into
two or more segments separated by bend lines and defining separate
planes such that only one segment is attracted to the magnet at any
one time. The bends function as fulcrums to shift the magnetic
attraction from one segment of the movable body to another. A
non-magnetic covering body is attached over the movable body and
has clipping parts which extend over the edges of the movable body
to engage sheet material to be held by the holder when the movable
body segment adjacent to the clipping part is in engagement with
the fixed magnet.
Wheatley U.S. Pat. No. 2,693,370 is directed to a multi-part paper
holder in the nature of a clipboard having a base of magnetic
material. A non-magnetic paper holder body partially encloses one
or more magnets each having a clamp face and a rest face joined
along a common edge forming a fulcrum or pivot permitting the
holder body to be rocked to either of two positions. When the rest
faces of the magnets engage the magnetic base the paper holder is
held in a paper-receiving rest position. When the holder is rocked
on the fulcrum the clamp faces of the magnet may hold paper or
similar sheet material against the base.
Woods U.S. Pat. No. 4,971,278 is directed to a refrigerator magnet
in the form of a small horseshoe or ponyshoe. A pair of aligned
magnets are disposed midway between the ends of the shoe arms to
hold the shoe body spaced from a magnetizable surface, such as a
refrigerator door, and to serve as a fulcrum or pivot to permit the
shoe to be tilted relative to the surface. A frictional holding
element such as another magnet is disposed at the toe of the shoe.
When manual force is applied to the face end of one of the shoe
arms the frictional holding element is lifted from the magnetizable
surface to permit a sheet of paper or the like to be slipped under
it. Upon release of the manual force the paper is held clamped in
place.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Broadly stated the invention is directed to a magnetic device for
holding thin non-magnetic sheet material against a flat, smooth,
magnetically attractive metallic surface. It comprises a one-piece
rigid unitary body having a first bottom planar magnetic surface
and at least one other adjoining bottom planar magnetic surface.
The magnetic surfaces are joined along a common bend line at an
obtuse angle. The bend line functions as a fulcrum whereby manual
force applied to the top surface of the unitary body causes the
bottom magnetic surfaces to be alternately engageable with a
magnetically attractive surface, such as a refrigerator door, in
direct contact with the door and through non-magnetic sheet
material to be attached to the door.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which
corresponding parts are identified by the same numerals and in
which:
FIG. 1 is a bottom plan view of a refrigerator magnet according the
the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a side elevation thereof showing a magnet receiving a
piece of sheet material to be attached to a metal surface;
FIG. 3 is a similar side elevation showing the sheet material held
against the metal surface;
FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of an alternative form of refrigerator
magnet according to the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of a further alternative form of
magnet; and
FIG. 6 is a top plan view of a variation of the magnet of FIG.
1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1 through
3, there is shown a refrigerator magnet having a unitary one-piece
rigid body indicated generally at 10 and composed of two body
segments 11 and 12. Body segments 11 and 12 are joined together
along a common bend line 13 at an obtuse angle. Body segment 11 has
a bottom planar magnetic surface 14 and body segment 12 has a
bottom planar magnetic surface 15. The bends may be sharply angular
or rounded or curved.
Body 10 may be composed wholly of a flat relatively thin (about
1/16 to 1/4 inch) magnetized iron or steel sheet material or of a
rigid non-magnetic synthetic resinous plastic such as polystyrene,
polypropylene, acrylic, or the like, having finely divided magnetic
particles distributed throughout the body. Alternatively, the
magnetic surfaces may be formed by a magnetic coating applied to a
similar rigid non-magnetic body. Preferably, as shown in FIGS. 2
and 3, the magnetic surfaces are formed from magnetic sheet
material permanently bonded, as by adhesive, to become part of the
one-piece unitary body.
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, magnetic sheet material having planar
magnetic surfaces 14 and 15 is co-extensive in size with the
non-magnetic body segments 11 and 12.
The magnetic surfaces are joined at an obtuse angle of about 185 to
200 degrees and preferably about 185 to 190 degrees. Thus, when the
refrigerator magnet is applied to a magnetically attractive flat
surface one of the magnetic surfaces of the body is in intimate
face-to-face contact and the other is spaced from the magnetically
attractive surface by an included angle of about 5 to 20 degrees,
preferably about 5 to 10 degrees. Although the body 10 is shown as
rectangular, composed of abutting squares, it may take a variety of
forms. The segments may be the same or different and may be
polygonal in configuration, truncated circles or the like, with
smooth or irregular edges.
The manner in which the refrigerator magnet is used is shown in
FIGS. 2 and 3. The body is placed with one of the magnetic surfaces
15 in contact with a flat magnetically attractive iron or steel
wall surface 16, as shown in FIG. 2. Thus, because of the angular
relationship of the planar magnetic surfaces, magnetic surface 14
is angularly spaced from the wall 16. A piece of paper, a photo, or
other thin non-magnetic sheet material 17 is readily inserted in
the gap between magnetic surface 14 and wall 16. Bend line 13
functions as a pivot or fulcrum to permit the magnetic surfaces to
be tilted so that alternately one or the other is in magnetic
contact with the wall, either directly or through the sheet
material 17.
Application of manual force, as by a finger, on the top surface of
body segment 11 causes body segment 12 and magnetic surface 15 to
be lifted from the surface of wall 16 in a lever action and causes
body segment 11 and magnetic surface 14 to be flipped into contact
with wall 16, the magnetic attraction penetrating through the sheet
material 17, as shown in FIG. 3. During the brief instant in which
both magnetic planar surfaces are out of contact with wall 16, bend
line 13 remains in magnetic contact with the wall so that the body
remains in place. The fulcrum at bend line 13 may be lifted from
the wall surface by the thickness of the sheet material 17 but
remains in magnetic contact with the wall to permit the body to be
flipped in the opposite direction and the sheet material to be
removed by application of force to body segment 12. Although the
magnet is shown disposed vertically to permit insertion of sheet
material from above, obviously it may be disposed in any
directional orientation.
Referring to FIG. 4 there is shown an alternative form of
refrigerator magnet according to the present invention having a
one-piece unitary rigid body indicated generally at 20 and composed
of three body segments 21, 22 and 23. Body segments 21 and 22 are
joined together along a common bend line 24 at an obtuse angle;
body segments 22 and 23 are joined together along a common bend
line 25 at an obtuse angle; and body segments 23 and 21 are joined
together along a common bend line 26. Body segment 21 has a bottom
planar magnetic surface 27; body segment 22 has a bottom planar
magnetic surface 28; and body segment 23 has a bottom planar
magnetic surface 29.
The composition and construction of this alternative form of magnet
are similar to those of the magnet of FIG. 1. The bend lines 26-28
function as fulcrums as heretofore described. In this instance,
with one magnetic surface in contact with a metal surface there is
a choice of two angular gaps or spaces in which to insert the sheet
material to be held. Finger pressure on the top side of the body
segment selected will cause the body to flip to hold the sheet
material. For example, if magnetic surface 27 is in contact with a
metal wall and a paper is inserted behind body segment 23 in the
space between magnetic surface 29 and the wall, force applied to
the top surface of body segment 23 will cause the body to pivot on
bend line 26 to flip magnetic surface 29 into magnetic contact with
the wall through the paper to be held. Although body 20 is shown as
having a circular configuration it may be triangular, or hexagonal,
or any of a myriad of other configurations.
FIG. 5 shows a further alternative form of refrigerator magnet
having a one-piece unitary rigid body indicated generally at 30 and
composed of four body segments 31, 32, 33 and 34. Body segments 31
and 32 are joined together along a common bend line 35 at an obtuse
angle. Similarly segments 32 and 33 are joined along bend line 36,
segments 33 and 34 are joined along bend line 37 and segments 34
and 31 are joined along bend line 38. Body segments 31-34 have
bottom planar magnetic surfaces 39-42, respectively.
The composition, construction and mode of operation of this form of
magnet are generally similar to those previously described. The
bend lines function as fulcrums to permit flipping of the body to
alternate the magnetic surfaces in contact with a metal surface.
The body may be composed of five or more segments. The overall
configuration of the body is subject to wide variation.
The refrigerator magnet of this invention readily is adapted to a
variety of promotional and advertising uses. When the top surfaces
of the body segments are flat and smooth as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3
they may be imprinted with advertising messages, logos or other
designs, or other indicia as desired. FIG. 6 shows in top plan view
a modified form of magnet similar to that of FIG. 1 having a
unitary one-piece rigid body indicated generally at 50 and composed
of two body segments 51 and 52 joined together along a common bend
line 53. A three dimensional representation 54 of an advertised
product, or other object may be molded in the top surfaces 55 and
56, respectively, of body segments 51 and 52. Alternatively a
three-dimensional representation may be adhesively bonded to the
top surfaces.
It is apparent that many modifications and variations of this
invention as hereinbefore set forth may be made without departing
from the spirit and scope thereof. The specific embodiments
described are given by way of example only and the invention is
limited only by the terms of the appended claims.
* * * * *